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Plan commissioners debate role of design review as code and comp-plan work proceeds
Summary
Commissioners and staff discussed whether to retain an advisory design review board or fold design review into the permit process, balancing flexibility for deviations against state requirements for 'clear and objective' design standards and concerns about predictability for applicants.
Casey, identified in the meeting as a PPA agent, reviewed how the city’s design review process relates to the comprehensive plan and recent state changes. "Design review is a bit of an advisory process," Casey said, but noted state law changes in 2023 now require some standards to be "clear and objective," prompting staff and commissioners to reconsider what belongs in code versus a separate review process.
Commissioners questioned whether keeping a separate design review board adds value or simply duplicates code compliance. "If it's not broke, don't fix it," one commissioner said, arguing the existing practice of applying design review primarily to downtown, public projects and deviations has generally worked. Ally, a city planner, described a redevelopment example where a former Macy's needed a design-review departure for glazing and the process produced positive public-facing outcomes.
Several commissioners worried about both predictability for applicants and protecting community values. One asked how to make a deviations process objective; another recommended writing clearer purpose language into standards so applicants and reviewers understand the intent. The secretary noted that code language requires certain public projects and downtown development to go through design review and suggested policy text be broadened to refer to an overseeing body or process rather than a single named board.
Commission direction: staff should update comp-plan policy text to remove obsolete references to the former design review board, clarify that design review primarily serves as a forum for deviations from clear-and-objective standards, and return with suggested thresholds and procedural language that balance predictability for applicants with opportunities for community input.
The commission did not adopt any formal code changes during the workshop; the discussion will feed into upcoming chapters and Build Spokane code updates.
